1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to telecommunication switches, and more particularly to telecommunication switches used in a low profile access floor system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Low profile access floor systems, such as the one shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,437, and conventional adjustable height floor systems six inches or less in height, are commonly used to distribute electrical and telecommunication wires in the floor of office buildings, schools and other buildings in which a high concentration of networked computers are used. The low profile access floor systems are of particular importance because, unlike high profile (above six inches) conventional access floors, they can be incorporated into new building designs or retrofitted to existing structures with little or no impact on the engineering, structure or spatial allocation of the building. Additionally, they provide a dedicated, flexible, accessible environment for power distribution and telecommunication cabling infrastructure. Such systems include a structural support system spaced at predetermined intervals that support removable access panels in a grid pattern and create space between the structural sub floor and the deck of the access floor (formed by access panels) to form a continuous hollow space or contiguous cable raceways that extends the entire length and width of the building. Electrical power cables and telecommunication lines and cables may be placed in the hollow spaces or raceways.
The electrical and telecommunication lines located in the floor of an building are typically connected to a floor electrical circuit panel and to an intermediate distribution frame (IDF) located in a telecommunication distribution closet located on each floor. Floor electrical and telecommunication distribution wires and cables extend from the floor electrical circuit panel and the IDF to a main electrical panel and main distribution frame (MDF), respectively, located in a utility closet located at the service entry to the building. The main electrical panel and MDF connect to large, outside electrical distribution trunk lines and telecommunication trunk lines, respectively, that service the geographical area around the building.
The telecommunication lines which may be either copper wire and/or fiber optic cables, articulated from the MDF through stair wells or elevator shafts or by other routes to the IDF located on the individual floors. From the IDF, the telecommunication wires and cables are then commonly extended through suspended ceilings, walls, power poles, surface mounted ducts, in slab trench duct, pillars and system furniture, in some combination, to the individual personal computer work stations in the space. If a low profile access floor system is used, such as the floor system shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,437, the wires and cables may be extended through the floor to various areas throughout the tenant's space.
Tenants need different amounts of space, different build outs and different work area or classroom configurations. Before a tenant occupies a building space, the desired walls, doors, counters, build outs, electrical wires and outlets that fit the needs of the tenant must be constructed. During construction, the distribution and installation of all telecommunication wires, cables and connection ports are installed as well. Even existing tenants, sometimes require changes to the interior walls, doors, counters, furniture layout or communication network configuration which, in turn require the re-positioning of electrical wires, outlets, the telecommunication wires and cables and connection ports. Depending on the extent of change, the cost of these changes can be relatively large and sometimes prohibitive. A major factor that increases the overall cost of changing and existing layout is the cost and installation of the copper wire or cable used in telecommunication network.
The cost of copper wire telecommunication network infrastructure has increased dramatically in recent years due to world demand for copper, petrochemical products (insulators for communication wire), the constant requirement for greater network band width (the industry standard for copper communication transmission speed has been reestablished four times in the past eight years), and changes in the U.S. National Electrical Code that requires discontinued or abandoned communication cabling to be removed from buildings.